Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Release 8.0 supports multiple deployments for combined video and audio support. The deployment that you use depends on your endpoints and on whether you use an Express Media Server or a Hardware Media Server. For information about choosing between an Express Media Server or a Hardware Media Server, see the Choosing Between the Hardware Media Server and the Express Media Server.

These deployments depend on native KPML support, although SCCP and SIP endpoints that support RFC2833 DTMF will work. The preferred signaling protocol is SIP.

You integrate SCCP or SIP video endpoints by defining a SIP trunk on Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. Cisco Unified MeetingPlace supports SIP delay-offer, thus a static Media Termination Point (MTP) is optional with all calls across a SIP trunk between Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. You can also create a separate SIP trunk security profile, with the outbound transport type set to TCP, and associate it with the SIP trunk to Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. The SIP trunk routes all outbound and inbound calls through a single Cisco Unified Communications Manager cluster.

Audio and Video Deployment Option 2: Using H.323 Video Endpoints

Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Release 8.0 does not provide native support for H.323 endpoints. If you want to use H.323 endpoints, you must use RAS (Registration, Admission, and Status) and an IOS gatekeeper. The IOS gatekeeper sends all video calls through via Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 6.1.4.39 to convert the H.323 signaling to SIP. This deployment accommodates existing deployed video solutions. All H.323 video endpoints must register to a IOS gatekeeper. Some video features currently supported by H.323 may not work with SIP. This deployment option also includes support for third party endpoints.

This deployment uses an IOS gatekeeper-controlled call-control domain which integrates with Cisco Unified Communications Manager Release 6.1.4.39. The call path is as follows:

Choosing Between the Hardware Media Server and the Express Media Server

About the Hardware Media Server and the Express Media Server

Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Release 8.0 introduces an Express Media Server, a software version of the Hardware Media Server that was used in previous releases of Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. All systems that will use audio or video need a media server and the media server can be either a Hardware Media Server or an Express Media Server.

The Express Media Server is a set of software modules, including an audio mixer and a video switcher, that resides on the Application Server. The Express Media Server creates a single box software-only solution for Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. The Express Media Server is based on the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express Video Telephony (VT) product.

The Hardware Media Server is comprised of Audio and Video Blades.

All Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Release 8.0 systems automatically come with an Express Media Server. If you want to use a Hardware Media Server, you must purchase, install, and configure it first.

The Express Media Server and the Hardware Media Server cannot be used together in the same system; however, you can easily switch from one to the other.

Before you can choose between a Hardware Media Server and the Express Media Server, you should review the differences between the two.

The Express Media Server can be deployed in ad-hoc mode, scheduled mode, or a combination of the two modes.

The Hardware Media Server can only be deployed in scheduled mode.

There can be more or less differences based on your configuration and the environment in which the media servers are deployed.

General Differences

Table: General Differences Between the Express Media Server and the Hardware Media Server

Feature

Express Media Server

Hardware Media Server

Type

Software residing on the Application Server

Hardware, comprised of Audio and Video Blades. For video to work, each Audio Blade must have a Video Blade associated with it.

Installation

Installed automatically when you install the Application Server

Separate installation required

Configuration

Configured through the Administration Center of the Application Server

Configured through the Media Server Administration or Media Server Administrator

Conferencing

Supports scheduled and ad-hoc

Supports scheduled only

Recording

Cannot record the audio or video portions of ad-hoc meetings.

Can record the audio portion of scheduled meetings. Cannot record the video portion of scheduled meetings.

Can support 20 simultaneous recordings with each recording using one port.

Can record the audio and video portions of scheduled meetings.

Cascading

Does not support any internal cascading of audio and video data

Uses internal cascading for scalability

Resource management

Based on the number of System Resource Units (SRUs), which is based on the type of Cisco MCS on which the Application Server is installed.

High complexity codecs are used on a first come, first served basis.

The number of available audio ports does not decrease when the user configures a high complexity audio codec.

Based on the following:

The number of Audio and Video Blades that are physically installed on the chassis.

For audio: The global audio mode (higher capacity or higher quality) that is set for the system.

For video: The mode (standard or high rate) that is set at the user profile level.

The number of available audio ports decreases to two-thirds when the system is configured for high-quality mode.

High complexity codecs

G.729 is considered a high complexity codec

G.729 is not considered a high complexity codec unless line echo cancellation is turned on for it.

Video composition

Not supported.

All non-speaker participants see the video of the active speaker only and the active speaker sees the video of last speaker.

Supports video composition.

All non-speaker participants see the video of the last N speakers (where N is based on the layout selected by the system administrator).

The system uses flow-control mechanisms to force all connections to the same bandwidth. It restricts a meeting to use only a range of the bandwidth to accommodate the lowest speed participant in the meeting.

Supports true transrating, so you can have an ISDN connection in the same meeting as a 2Mb connection, without affecting the interaction between high rate participants.

Transcoding between H.263 and H.264 AVC

Not supported between H.263 and H.264 AVC endpoints in the same meeting. A meeting can include either H.263 or H.264 video endpoints.

Supported.

H.261

Not supported.

Supports H.261 in high rate mode and provides transcoding between H.261 and H.263/H.264.

Video resolution

Supports the following:

320x180

640x360 (for Cisco soft clients)

640x480 (for Roundtable phones)

1280x720 (720p) for Cisco soft clients

CIF, QCIF

Allows 320x180, but it will probably be mangled. Does not allow the other resolutions.

Works with QCIF, QSIF, SIF, and CIF and provides transcoding between them.

Custom video types

Can make custom video types. Has more predefined video types.

Not supported.

Video type management

Supported.

Users can configure their own video types for a meeting (codec and bitrate)

Line Echo Cancellation

The Express Media Server does not include an echo canceller for controlling echo on incoming audio connections, so any echo originating from a phone or long distance connection can disrupt the conference. In general, echo cancellation is not required in a conference bridge, providing the following conditions are true:

All the voice gateways connecting the public switched telephone network to the internal network are provisioned to provide echo cancellation. Usually 64ms of echo cancellation is sufficient, but intercontinental calls may benefit from 128ms.

Substantially all calls are originating and terminating within the same continent. If you have 128ms of echo cancellation in the voice gateways, then intercontinental calls between developed countries will likely be covered, provided no connections through satellites are employed. Intercontinental calls involving 3rd world countries are likely to have echo exceeding 128ms., which cannot be controlled by most voice gateways.

Internal phones and headsets are well maintained. Defective phones or headsets, including echo cancelling headsets with dead batteries, are a common source of echo.

Installations needing echo cancellation in the conference bridge should employ a Hardware Media Server instead of the Express Media Server.

Note that acoustic echo, typically from a speakerphone in a conference room, cannot be effectively cancelled by either type of media server. This type of echo should be controllable through proper configuration and use of a good quality speaker phone.

About Ad-Hoc Conferencing

Overview of Ad-Hoc Conferencing

Ad-hoc meetings are not controlled by Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. Cisco Unified Communications Manager manages and controls the exchange of conference control messages and the voice and video media control messages between endpoints in ad-hoc meetings. The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace Express Media Server, which contains an audio mixer and a video switcher, acts as a conference bridge to Cisco Unified Communications Manager and provides only the media resources.

Users initiate ad-hoc meetings through the user interfaces of products other than Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. For example, users can initiate either a voice-only or a voice-and-video ad-hoc meeting by using the Conf or Meet-Me buttons on Cisco Unified IP Phones that are registered to Cisco Unified Communications Manager. Users can also add web conferencing to conversations initiated through Cisco Unified Personal Communicator.

Note: Users with H.323 video terminals, which are registered to a Cisco IOS gatekeeper and have an H.225 trunk to Cisco Unified Communications Manager, can also initiate ad-hoc conferences. There is no CONF button on the terminals, but once users initiate an ad-hoc conferences from Cisco endpoints using the Meet-Me number, they can call in to the same ad-hoc conf from the terminals.

In contrast, scheduled and reservationless meetings are set up, managed, and controlled by Cisco Unified MeetingPlace. Users can schedule meetings through the Cisco Unified MeetingPlace user web interface or through the Microsoft Outlook plug-in and can call in to or call out of the meeting by using the phone, the user web interface, or video endpoints.

By configuring your Cisco Unified MeetingPlace server as a Cisco video conference bridge (IPVC-35xx) in Cisco Unified Communications Manager, you can provide ad-hoc conferencing for the these endpoints:

All voice and video endpoints that support Cisco Unified Communications Manager meet-me and ad-hoc conferences-voice and video only.

Cisco Unified Personal Communicator-voice, web, and video.

Ad-Hoc Meetings

Scheduled/Reservationless Meetings

Set up, managed, and controlled by Cisco Unified Communications Manager

How the System Uses Ad-Hoc Voice Ports

The Cisco Unified MeetingPlace system uses ad-hoc voice ports in these situations:

One port for each endpoint in a voice call that includes three or more endpoints. (A direct, voice-only call between two endpoints does not use any ad-hoc voice ports.)

One port when a Cisco Unified IP Phone is used to create the meeting through the Meet-Me button.

Another port for each additional endpoint that calls into the ad-hoc conference.

One voice port for each utilized video port.

Recommendations for Users Using Ad-Hoc Conferencing

The video switcher of the Express Media Server switches the video stream to the current active speaker, which is the loudest speaker as determined by the audio mixer.

Provide these recommendations to help reduce background noise during conference calls:

Mute your phone when you are not speaking.

Do not use a speakerphone, which might generate echoes, ringing sounds, or audio feedback.

If you use a microphone that is built into your video camera, keep the camera away from fans, vents, and other sources of noise.

For softphones, such as Cisco Unified Personal Communicator with a Cisco VT Camera or Cisco IP Communicator with Cisco Unified Video Advantage:

Do not use the microphone that is built into your computer. These microphones tend to pick up a lot of background noise.

We strongly recommend that you use a headset that is equipped with a microphone.

Whenever multiple microphones are available, make sure that your computer and video endpoint are configured to use the desired microphone.

For example, suppose that you use Cisco Unified Personal Communicator with a Cisco VT Camera on a Windows XP operating system, and that you have a headset that is equipped with a microphone. To make sure that your system is configured to use the headset microphone, select Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices. Then select the Audio tab, and make sure that your headset is selected as the sound recording device.

See the documentation for your specific endpoint product to optimize audio settings and resolve audio problems.